Texas Rangers: Team Comes Up Short Again

The Texas Rangers come up short in their second of this home series against their in-state rivals, the Houston Astros. Losing this game means Texas loses their fourth consecutive series. They’re now 14 games behind Houston. The hole they’ve dug themselves into just got deeper as Texas is now in fourth place in the American League West standings. Overall, things are not well for this ball club.

The Texas Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the first, but it didn’t long for Houston to return the favor a tie the game 1-1. In the third, Houston took a commanding 5-1 lead, looking Texas would be humiliated again. However, Texas scored three runs in the fifth, making it 5-4, but they ultimately fell short 6-5. Since their ten-game winning streak last month, Texas is 3-10.

Andrew Cashner took the mound. He pitched 6.0 innings, allowing a season-high eleven hits, five runs, and striking out only two batters, thus falling to 2-5.

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Making his return, Jose Leclerc relieved Cashner, pitching 1.0 inning, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out one batter. Keone Kela then came in, pitching 1.1 innings, allowing one hit, one run, and striking out one batter. Alex Claudio closed the game, allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out no batters. Pitching forced Houston to leave nine batters on base.

Pitching’s 4.24 ERA puts them 18th in the league. They’re 27th in strikeouts with 382 for the season. They’re also ninth in runs allowed with 262, as well as hits allowed with 494.

Offense finished 9-for-37, striking out 18 times. Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre combined for five hits and five RBIs. Andrus scored two runs. Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara are still struggling as they went a combined 1-for-9, both striking out four times. At the moment, Elvis and Adrian are the best players in the batting lineup. In his last ten games, Andrus has had three hits in four games.

Texas’ hitting is 22nd in hits with 448 and 12th in runs scored with 265. They’re also tied for 12th in homers with 73 and sixth in strikeouts with 495. It’s safe to say, the offense’s slump is worse than anticipated.

Martin Perez steps on the mound for game three. Texas is already very deep in a black hole and they can’t fall deeper. It’s coming to the point where a playoff birth is not a possibility.